Here’s a quick tip: A dose of vinegar may help control blood sugar levels, say researchers.

A 2009 study tracking the effects of vinegar on people with diabetes found that two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (mixed with water and a non-caloric sweetener) reduced glucose and insulin response when taken just before a high-carbohydrate meal (bagel and orange juice).

Vinegar worked just as well as diabetes drugs, cutting the usual blood sugar surge in diabetics and those with insulin resistance (pre-diabetes) by 25% and 50%, respectively, and improving insulin sensitivity 19% and 34%. And aside from its unpleasant taste, vinegar has no adverse effects and costs only $15-$20 a year.

In a follow-up study, volunteers who swallowed two tablespoons of vinegar before two meals a day for four weeks lost an average of 2 pounds, while some lost up to 4 pounds (weight didn’t budge in the control group). The lead researcher, Carol Johnston, Ph.D., says that vinegar may interfere with enzymes that break down carbohydrates, allowing them to pass through the digestive system without being absorbed.